Drugs biggest problem, say Oconee sheriff candidates

SENECA - The candidates for Oconee County sheriff all agree that drugs are the county's biggest problem, both in themselves and as the motivation for other crimes.

Where they differed at a forum Thursday night sponsored by the Clemson Area League of Women Voters is in how the problem should be handled.

Donnie Fricks, a former captain with the Oconee County Sheriff's Office, said he was the only candidate who had authored anti-drug programs with the Seneca Police Department and the sheriff's office and been directly involved in drug investigations.

More investigations and arrests would be the policy of his administration, Fricks said.

Chief Deputy Terry Wilson said the sheriff's office had an outstanding drug enforcement program but the problem is the ease with which drug offenders get probation.

"We keep arresting the same people over and over," said Wilson, adding that he would work with legislators to tighten parole requirements.

Mike Crenshaw, also a former captain with the sheriff's office and currently interim chief of the Westminster Police Department, stressed his three-point plan of prevention, enforcement and also treatment, which he said set his plans apart from his opponents.

Crenshaw said a prevention program was needed in the schools similar to the now defunct DARE program as well as increased drug treatment for those users wanting to beat their addiction.

"For all that's been done, is the drug problem better or worse?" he asked the audience of about 40 people. "Just arresting more people won't do it. Prevention, enforcement and treatment together are the only way to reduce the problem.

All three are running as petition candidates on the Nov. 6 general election ballot. All had initially qualified for the June Republican primary but all three were bumped from the ballot on a technicality regarding the deadline for filing statements of economic interests with the South Carolina Ethics Commission. About 300 candidates across the state faced the same disqualification.

All said they opposed efforts to decriminalize or legalize marijuana because they believe it is a "gateway drug," leading some users to harder drugs.

Cooperation between the sheriff's office and the municipal police departments is essential, all said, and said they planned some means of frequent contact with police departments to keep lines of communication open.

"I would have either monthly or quarterly meetings with the police chiefs," Wilson said. "We need to share resources and intelligence.

None of them said they would expect to make a significant increase in sheriff's office personnel.

"We need more personnel, but in this economy it will take awhile," Wilson said, adding that the need for patrol and narcotics officers was most acute.

Crenshaw stressed his plan to beef up the reserve officer program as a means of augmenting the current sheriff's office force.

"With training, salary, a car and everything, it can cost $80,000, $90,000, maybe $100,000 to add a deputy," Crenshaw said. "After 250 hours of riding with an officer, (reserve officers) can patrol by themselves, and we've got some good people out there who want to be reserve officers."

Fricks also supported an increased reserve program and said he would request no new officers but would move five positions out of the Law Enforcement Center offices and into the field.

The sheriff's office currently had 88 officers, Fricks said, when a county with Oconee's population (about 75,000) should have about 110, based on the general formula if 1.5 officers per 1,000 people.

All supported more community policing.

Wilson said the countywide broadband network currently being installed would allow the use of county fire stations as temporary substations where officers could make and submit reports without having to come to the main office in Walhalla.

Crenshaw said he favored having the deputies get to know the people they serve better, and form ties that benefit the cause of law enforcement and keeping the community safe.

"There is a disconnect between the deputies and the people," Crenshaw said. "If they see somebody out in their yard, stop in, introduce themselves. That's how you build trust."

"There's more agreement than disagreement between us on that issue," said Fricks of community-oriented policing.

The candidates for sheriff have one more debate before the election. That will be at the Walhalla Civic Auditorium on Oct. 30.

County auditor Ken Nix also attended Thursday's forum and read a statement highlighting differences between himself and his opponent, petition candidate Betsy Redmond. Redmond did not attend the forum.